The present invention relates generally to vehicle wheel alignment systems having a computer or central processor configured to receive information from an operator to be utilized in performing a vehicle service, and more particularly, to a vehicle wheel alignment system having a computer or central processor configured to receive operator voice instructions utilizing a contact microphone to reduce ambient noise interference.
Traditional vehicle wheel alignment systems utilize a system controller or central processor, typically a general purpose computer configured with wheel alignment software, which is connected to one or more vehicle wheel alignment angle sensors. General purpose computers, as utilized in vehicle wheel alignment systems typically include a variety of conventional input and output devices, such as keyboards, pointing devices, printers, displays, and audio components. Traditional vehicle wheel alignment sensors comprise sets of angle transducers which are mounted to the wheels of a vehicle undergoing an alignment service, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,983 to McClenahan et al., herein incorporated by reference. Alternatively, vehicle wheel alignment sensors may comprise a camera system designed to observe either the wheels themselves, or targets mounted to the vehicle wheels, to generate images from which alignment angles may be determined, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,315 to January, herein incorporated by reference.
In addition to requiring wheel alignment angle information from individual wheel alignment sensors, a wheel alignment system or other vehicle service system central processor requires information identifying the type of sensors which it is utilizing, information related to the vehicle undergoing service, and information identifying the manner and format of any output provided to the operator or technician. These various pieces of information are traditionally entered into the central processor manually, via the conventional input devices such as the keyboard or mouse. During a vehicle wheel alignment procedure, a technician further interacts with the central processor by manually selecting choices presented by the central processor on a display, or by performing actions in response to directions provided on the display.
As manual entry of information and selection of choices can be time consuming and repetitive, it would be advantageous to provide a vehicle wheel alignment system wherein information can be exchanged between the operator or technician and the central processor in a voice form, thereby eliminating the need for the technician or operator to frequently return to the location of the display or manual data entry input devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,428 to Casby et al. for “Hands Free Automotive Service System” describes a voice control system for an automotive service system including a headset microphone, through which a technician can communicate voice commands to an item of automotive service equipment. Within the automotive service equipment, a speech processor module receives signals from the headset microphone, converts the voice commands into digital instructions which can be processed by a system controller, and additionally converts data from the system controller into synthesized voice for communication to the technician through an audio speaker.
It has been found that the use of a headset having either a single air conducting or air interface microphone is cumbersome to a vehicle service technician who may be frequently required to operate within the confined space underneath a vehicle raised on a lift rack. Further, in an automotive service environment, air conducting or air interface microphones pickup and convey high levels of ambient background noises, such as engine noise, background conversations, and air-operated tools to the automotive service equipment computer, requiring either significant signal processing to extract specific operator voice commands, or numerous repetitions of a single voice command by an operator. Background noises can additionally cause the automotive service equipment to react as if the operator had spoken a voice command when in fact, none had been spoken.
Accordingly, there is a need for a voice interface to a vehicle wheel alignment system which is capable of distinguishing operator spoken voice commands from ambient and transient background noises without the need for an operator to frequently repeat commands, and which does not require extensive signal processing of audio signals to identify a spoken command for association with specific vehicle wheel aligner operating instructions.